The Travel Business Unpacked

Soul-Stirring Journeys and a Seven-Figure First Year with Sylvia Sulkes

Sylvia Sulkes knew for years that her work wasn't fulfilling her anymore, but it took a climb up Mount Kilimanjaro with her husband to make the decision clear. A month af

Outgrowing Your Host Agency: Laura Gonzalez on Finding the Right Fit

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, Meredith Calloway is joined by Laura Gonzalez, founder of Vacation Artisans Travel Agency, to talk about knowing when i

Julie and Alex Ott on Building a Mother-Son Team in Luxury Sports Travel

Julie and Alex Ott are the mother-son team behind Triple Play Vacations. In this episode, they join Meredith Calloway to talk about what it looks like to build a business

From Family CEO to Luxury Travel: Lucie McLaughlin's First Year in Business

Lucie McLaughlin spent over two decades as what she calls the "family CEO," and when her kids grew up and life took an unexpected turn, she found herself searching for a

Less Than a Year In: Unpacking Nicholas Dintelmann's Leap into Luxury Travel

Nicholas Dintelmann spent over a decade in corporate retail before he let himself pursue the international, travel-focused career he'd wanted since childhood. In this epi

Pam Smithgall on Creating the Perfect Travel “Symphony”

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Pam Smithgall, owner of South Shore Travel and a longtime Gifted Travel Network mem

From Corporate Careers to a 7-Figure Travel Business: Shawn Lamphear & Jon Malpass

Shawn Lamphear and Jon Malpass of LM Authentic Travel went from corporate careers to a seven-figure producing, six-figure-earning travel business in under two years. In t

Lisa VanBuhler on Painting the Perfect Travel Masterpiece for Every Client

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Lisa VanBuhler of XOOM Tours, a longtime Gifted Travel Network member who has built

Keely Culpepper on Creating Experiences That Keep Clients Coming Back

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, Meredith Calloway is joined by Keely Culpepper, founder of Blue Venture Travel, to talk about building a travel busines

The Power of Mentorship in Building a Travel Business with Meghann Bjarnesen

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway welcomes back Meghann Bjarnesen, co-owner of Besté Travel Design and Lead Mentor & Programs Mana

Kay Fahlberg on Finding Your Niche Without Boxing Yourself In

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked, Meredith Calloway sits down with Kay Fahlberg, owner of Ippo Travel, to discuss how finding your niche doesn't have to mean lim

Carol McKee on Building Successful Travel Groups Without the Headaches

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked, Meredith Calloway welcomes back Carol McKee of McKee Travel for a practical conversation about one of the biggest growth opport

Katina Athanasiou on Calibrating Your Life, Career, and Leadership

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway welcomes Katina Athanasiou, Senior Vice President of Sales and Services at Celebrity Cruises, fo

How Angie Corry Discovered Her Niche One Adventure at a Time

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Angie Corry, founder of Adventurously Yours Travel Design. After moving to the Net

From Teacher to Entrepreneur: Lessons in Building a Luxury Travel Business with Ashley Carlson

Making the leap into entrepreneurship is never easy, especially when you're leaving behind a career you've known for years. In this episode, Meredith welcomes Travel MBA

From Day Trader to Luxury Travel Entrepreneur: John Rees on Building a Business He Loves

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by returning guest John Rees, founder of J5 Luxury Travel Tailors. After leaving a su

Nicole Shipper on Scaling a Travel Business Without Losing the Personal Touch

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway welcomes back Nicole Shipper, founder of TBN Travel Curators, for her second appearance on the p

The Future of Travel Advisor Technology, Featuring David Shull of Tern

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, guest host Sandy Saburn sits down with David Shull, co-founder and CEO of Tern. When David first discovered the travel

Laura Young on Reinventing Her Career and Finding Freedom Through Travel

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Laura Young, founder of Laura Young Travel and a 2026 Gifted Travel Network Momentu

Why Advocacy Matters for Every Travel Advisor, Featuring Jessica Klement

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Jessica Klement, Vice President of Advocacy for American Society of Travel Advisors